Panther Battalion Army ROTC

Army ROTC scholarships pay full tuition and required fees. They're awarded on merit - based on academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and personal interviews.

Scholarship winners receive a stipend ($300 freshman, $350 sophomore, $450 junior, $500 senior) for each academic month plus an allowance of $600/academic semester for books and other educational items.

Four Year Scholarship
Available to eligible high school students and college freshmen. The best time to start the application process the summer after your junior year!

Two & Three Year Scholarships
There are two-year and three-year Army ROTC scholarships available to eligible college students. The applications for these scholarships are available through the AROTC admissions officer.

Online Scholarship Application
Additional scholarship information, and the online scholarship application for high school students can be found at armyrotc.com
Eligibility

You must meet the following general eligibility requirements to receive an Army ROTC scholarship.

    *Be a United States citizen.
    *Be 17 years of age by October and must not reach your 27th birthday by June 30 of the year in which you will graduate from college and receive your commission. If you have prior active duty military service, you may be eligible for extension of this age requirement - the age is extended one year for each one year of active duty military service. The maximum extension is 3 years which means you must be less than 30 years of age on June 30, of your commissioning year.
    *Be a high school graduate or possess an equivalent certificate before September of the year in which you start college. If you are taking or have taken college courses, you must be considered a beginning freshman and have four academic years remaining for a baccalaureate degree upon enrollment in the fall semester.
    *If you are in an accelerated program and will complete your senior year of high school and first year of college concurrently - you must have 4 academic years remaining in an approved baccalaureate degree program upon enrollment in the fall semester.
    *If you are a college freshman in a documented five year program with four years remaining in fall, you must submit verification from your university that your course of study is a five year program and that you will have four full years remaining. Contact the Army Professor of Military Science at your university for a copy of a planned academic program worksheet.
    *Have no moral obligations or personal conviction that will prevent you from -
         1. Supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States against all enemies - foreign and domestic.
         2. Conscientiously bearing arms.
    *Satisfactorily explain any record of arrest and/or civil conviction.
    *Have a minimum high school GPA of 2.5
    *Receive at least a minimum SAT score of 920 or an ACT composite score of 19.

University of Pittsburgh students are encouraged to visit the Army ROTC Financial Aid website for specific University Information.

Selection Criteria

All factors are important and are considered in the selection of scholarship winners. Selection of scholarship finalists is based on:

    *Results of Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Test (ACT). You must achieve a minimum SAT score of 920 (composite of Verbal and Math) or an American College Test (ACT) composite score of 19 to qualify for competition. If you take both the SAT and ACT, please furnish the results of both test to this office - your best score will be used.
    *High school academic standing - your class size and rank are required.
    *You must have a high school GPA of 2.5 or higher.
    *Three school officials' evaluations. These evaluations are to be completed by teachers, coaches, or the principal. If you are attending the United States Military Academy (USMA) Preparatory School, you must have one of these evaluations completed by a USMA Preparatory School Official.
    *Extracurricular participation, athletic activities, and leadership positions held. If you have held part-time jobs during the school year and do not have the time for extensive participation in sports and extracurricular activities, you will be given credit based on the number of hours you worked per week.
    *Personal interview. It is very important that you apply to the schools you list on your application. Your information will only be given to the Professor of Military Science (PMS) at the schools you have listed if you become an interviewee. The PMS will then contact you for an interview.

Obligations Upon Graduation

If you are selected for an U.S. Army ROTC scholarship, you are required to:

    *Sign a contract with the Secretary of the Army. If you are 17 years of age when you enroll, your parents or guardian must also sign this contract. If you are 18 or older, only your signature is required. This contract contains a requirement to repay the United states Government for all financial aid received. If after you begin your sophomore year, you fail to comply with the term of the contract. This repayment may be monetary or in the form of enlisted service. The choice rests with the Army and not the scholarship cadet.
    *Enlist in the U.S. Army Reserve for a period of 8 years. You must be 17 years of age by the time of enrollment in order to sign an enlistment contract.
    *Pursue the academic discipline (if applicable) identified in the letter that notifies you of your selection as a scholarship recipient. If you have indicated engineering, you must attend the accredited engineering school listed in your announcement letter. As a nurse scholarship recipient, you must attend the Partnership in Nursing Education School named in your announcement letter.
    *Attend the 5-week ROTC Leader Development and Assessment Course normally between your Junior and Senior years of college.
    *Accept a commission to serve on active duty or reserve duty (Army Reserve, or Army National Guard) upon completion of the required academic and ROTC courses.
    *Serve in the military for a period of 8 years. This may be fulfilled by:
    *Serving on active duty, if selected, for 4 years followed by service in the Army National Guard (ARNG) or United States Army Reserve (USAR) or the Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR) for the remainder of the 8-year obligation.
    *Serving 8 years in an ARNG or USAR Troop Program Unit which includes a 3 to 6 month active duty period for initial training.

Pesonal Interviews

The interview is conducted by the AROTC admissions officer who will ask you questions and will answer any questions you may have about Army ROTC and the pursuit of an Army commission. The interview can be either telephonic or in person depending on distances involved. Any cost incurred for transportation, food and lodging, for the interview are your responsibility.
Complete Physical Exam

Individuals selected for an interview will be contacted and scheduled for a medical examination by the Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board (DODMERB). The following will apply if you are scheduled:

    *You are responsible for your own transportation, food, and lodging related to this examination. Results of the medical examination will be furnished directly to you by DODMERB.
    *If you are unable to report for the examination as scheduled, you must notify DODMERB immediately. You will be rescheduled at that time. Please see the current tables of height and weight requirements for a 4-year scholarship and subsequent commissioning.
    *Your medical condition is not a consideration in the selection of winners; however, all winners must be medically qualified in order to enroll as a scholarship cadet and receive benefits.

Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT)

Before a scholarship can be finalized you must take and pass the Army Physical Fitness Test. The test is comprised of:

    *Push-ups: maximum you can do in 2 minutes
    *Sit-ups: maximum you can do in 2 minutes
    *Timed 2 mile run

To pass the APFT you must receive at least 60 points in each event.

Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP)

SMP is a volunteer officer training program designed to increase the number of ROTC officers available for Reserve Forces Duty. It allows simultaneous enrollment and participation in the ROTC Advanced Course (Military Science (MS) III and IV) or MS II level of military instruction and enlistment in the Reserve Components (RC). It provides the future officer with leadership and Reserve Component unit experience.

By definition, the SMP Cadet is a reserve officer trainee assigned to an Reserve Componet Troop Program Unit (TPU), while simultaneously participating as a contracted Cadet in ROTC at a university or college. Should the Reserve or National Guard soldiers' unit deploy, and the soldier is contracted into the SMP ROTC program, the soldier will not be required to deploy.

Benefits of the Simultaneous Membership Program include:

*100% coverage of tuition and fees.

*A cash bonus depending on MOS.

*Monthly stipend of $300 for first year students, $350 for second year students, $450 for third year students, and $500 for fourth year students.

*Drill pay at E-5 Pay Grade

*G.I. Bill benefits for those who qualify.

Those interested in the SMP program may also be interested in the Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty (GRFD) option, which guarantees service in the Reserve Component upon commissioning.